Fell In Love With My Roomy Chapter 48

Dane? Like a great dane? Who names their children such peculiar names? It sounds almost like a fabricated moniker for a vampire from a Twilight novel.

"Hello, I'm Julianna. Nice to meet you," I say warmly, extending my hand, which he shakes. "Are you attending Brown?"

"No, I'm no longer in college. I dropped out a few years ago," he responds with a shrug. "You're a student?"

"Yes, I'm in my fourth year, almost done," I mention.

"Oh, you're almost finished! I was about to say, you don't look like a typical student; you seem a bit older," he laughs, and I raise my eyebrows. "Not in a bad way, but you come across as quite mature," I smile when he says that.

I was indeed an adult and had always appeared a bit older than my age. "So, if you're not a student, what do you do?"

"I work on developing software," he tells me, which elicits a quizzical look from me.

"And why are you hanging out at a student hotspot like Apex?" I ask with a smile, and he chuckles.

"Well, perhaps I was about to head into the whiskey bar across the street when I spotted you waiting in line to get in here," he says with a shrug, edging a bit closer. I blink, not entirely buying that story since I haven't been on anyone's radar for years. "I don't mean to come across as creepy, but I thought you might be an interesting person to get to know."

"I think you might be a bit unusual," I remark, and he laughs.

"No way, you strike me as someone I'd listen to if you were discussing the stock market," he says, raising my eyebrows. "Can I have your phone number?"

"Really, you want my phone number?" I ask, still puzzled, and he nods.

"Hey, Julianna, is this guy making you uncomfortable?" Chase appears next to me with his hand on my shoulder, causing a slight discomfort, and I roll my eyes.

"Nothing to worry about, Chase. I just want to chat," I assure him, and he nods. "I'm fine; go hang out with everyone else." He walks away slowly, as if unsure of my decision. "That's a shame."

"That guy isn't your boyfriend, is he?"

"No, they're all just friends," I laugh, and he does too. "We're just friends, though."

"Good," he whispers as he hands me a pen and smiles. "I'll take that number then."

I grab a napkin from the dispenser and jot down my phone number. It feels crazy, and I can't quite fathom why this guy is interested in my number. Men had never really asked for my number before.

"Here," I sigh and hand it to him. He slips it into his coat pocket.

"Julianna, I really want to see you again," he says, clearing his throat.

"Really?" I respond, and he chuckles.

"Yeah, sorry if this seems forward, but you probably could use a break from all these college guys," he says in a low voice, leaning in closer to my ear, and my eyes widen. I feel overwhelmed because my stomach is doing somersaults. Maybe I've had a bit too much to drink. I need to slip away before I have to bolt.

"I really need to use the restroom, like right now," I say urgently. He agrees with my statement. "I'll try to catch up with you, but I can't guarantee it. This place is getting a bit wild."

"Don't worry, I'll make my escape too. I have a meeting tomorrow morning, but I'll call you," he assures me. "Make sure you get home safely. If you're stuck, let me know, and I'll arrange for a ride."

"Sounds good," I reply warmly. "See you."

"Goodbye, Julianna." He smiles, and I hasten to the bathroom down the hall.

This is starting to make me feel queasy. I push open the door, but it's empty inside. Whenever I frequented venues like this, the ladies' room was always packed. But I count my blessings and open the toilet seat in one of the stalls. I hunch over, and that metallic taste starts to fill my mouth. My breathing becomes shallow, and shivers run down my spine.

I quickly emptied my stomach and leaned against the stall wall, taking deep breaths. After flushing the toilet, I searched my purse for the pack of gum I had dropped. Opening the stall door, I was relieved to find that I was still alone. I turned on the tap and filled my hand with water before chewing the gum.

Collecting myself, I attributed my earlier behavior to the sugar in the Red Bull. I let out a small sigh, pulling a napkin from my pocket, jotting down his phone number, and saving it on my phone for later.

Back in my younger days, I felt like I was on top of the world. I never considered myself pretty as a kid, but now an older guy was showing interest in me. I was the kind of teenager who appeared older than my actual age, so most guys only saw me as a friend. However, by the time I turned 21, things began to balance out, and I started feeling better about myself.

I exited the restroom and nearly collided with someone else. I looked up and saw Chase, which instantly put me at ease.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to bump into you," I apologized, and he shrugged with a smile.

"It's fine, Julianna, no worries," he replied, his brown eyes meeting mine. "How's it going?"

"It's working," I assured him. "Sorry for holding up the bathroom. I'll let you use it." I mumbled, aware that the men's room was further down the hall.

"It's okay, I just needed to wash the drink Darren spilled on the bar top off my hands," he explained with a shrug. "I've got some time to chat."

"You don't have to. I'll be out in the main area as soon as you're done," I said politely, trying to regain my composure after my unpleasant restroom experience.

"Well, actually, I've been wanting to talk to you all night," Chase admitted, shrugging again, and I frowned.

"About what?"

"Let's get straight to it," he said, turning slightly toward me. He carefully took hold of my arms, and immediately, my smile faded.

"What's going on?" I asked, feeling uneasy. "Chase—"

"I really enjoy spending time with you, Julia," he whispered, and I shut my eyes briefly. "Talking to you is great because you're so cool and easygoing. I feel like we have a lot in common."

"Chase, I'm not cool at all. You know that. I plan everything, and I really think that's one of the biggest ways we're different," I spoke quickly, worried about where this was heading.

"But that's also why we get along so well," he whispered, holding my elbows, causing my brows to furrow. "I've been trying to gather the courage to move out of the 'friend zone' with you for months now. Tonight feels like the right time to let you know, Julianna, that I like you. I'd like to spend time with you."

"What?" Before I could formulate a response, he leaned in and kissed me. Everything about this felt wrong, and I tensed up and pulled away. "Stop, Chase!" I pushed him back and wiped my lips, signaling my seriousness. "Where did all of this come from?"

"It's how I feel about you, and I believe we could do great things together," he persisted, not letting up. He took my hands and drew me closer, making me tense even more. "Give me a chance," he pleaded.

"No, Chase," I said, feeling sick and whispering. I had been right all along; he did like me.

"Hey!" A shout echoed down the hall, and before I could react, Kent stepped in, forcibly separating Chase from me. "She said no, so Chase should leave her alone," he insisted, his tone filled with anger. He continued pushing, and I raised an eyebrow. I was no longer smart; I was drunk and preoccupied.

"Don't get involved, Kent," Chase sighed.

"She said no; walk away," Kent ordered Chase with a stern tone. Chase looked at me.

"Oh my god, Chase, just go. We're supposed to be friends, so I don't want to deal with this right now," I said, placing my hand on my forehead in exasperation. "Just go."

Chase let out a grunt, hesitated for a few moments, and then departed. It was evident that he had been drinking, as his behavior was unfamiliar to me. I had no desire for him to be with me in that way, and I certainly did not want him to kiss me.

"Are you alright?" Kent inquired with a concerned expression, and I nodded.

"I think I just need to take a moment to catch my breath," I whispered, and he nodded, guiding me in silence.